The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-12-08
EDUCATIONAL TOPICS.
Observation-Disclosures AIarmingIy Prevalent 10
Public SehnOis-Its Causes and
the Remedy.
Pernicious Practices in the Teaching q
topography hy-Common Schools and
the Labor Question.
NEAR-SIGHTEDNESS

| NEAR-SIGH GHTEDNESS
The subject of myopia or near-sioht
| edness. is one which especially con
| Germs teachers, to whom in larm
measure is committed the care of tn,
eyesight of the coming generation, an,
that at the most critical period of life
Statistics show that a very large ma
| jOrity of all cases of near-si~htedncs
have their origin during the period o
school life; that is, from the sixth t.
the sixteenth year. The BODY at thi
period is undergoing rapid develop
ment, all the tissues are elastic, ant
any undue strain upon the eye sight il
! liable to produce results which woulC
not follow a ten-fold greater strain a
Il later period in life: results, too
which may prove fatal to the futur,
prospects of the pupil.
There are more near-sightcd person.
in the city than in the country. il
schools where the light is poor than
where it is good, and among pupil,
who spend much time in study thar
those who spend comparatively little
In Germany Cohn found Ii per cent
of the pupils i'll the village school.
near-si@hted, and over 10 per cent. %
the same age in the city schools
Among pupils in the same classes he
found II per cent. of those who studied
two hours out of school near-sighted
26 per cent. of those who studied foul
hours, and 40 per cent. of those who
studied six hours. 1t has also beer
found that in the city schools some.
what larger percentage of girls thar
boys are myOpic.
1t was formerly taught that near
sight was due TO too great 4 conyeXitN
of either the cornea or the crystalline
lens, whereby the rays of light from
all but near objects were brought to D
focus i'll front of the retina; but actual
measurement has shown that the rea
cause, in most cases at least, is an ab.
normal eiongation of the eve bail as =
whole from before backwards. where.
by the retina is carried beyond the
normal focal point.
The more important causes oprrat.
ing to produce near-si@htedmcss are the
following:
l. Hereditary tendency.
,. City residence, with its limited
prospects and more sedentary life.
j, Congestion of the heat, and nj
causes favoring it, as bending of the
neck in reading, close confinement, hot
rooms. excessive study.
4. Bad hygiene in general. which
operates by weakening the powers oI
resistance.
3. 4 bad light
6. ..The distribution of near-sinht
ndness chiefly among the cultivated
ranks points directly To its principal
cause-teasion Of the eyes for near
Sigits.
The chances of removing the defect.
when once fixed, are very small
Says Hasner, .'lf all cmpIoyments
which require straining of the ewes for
near vision be given mp during youth.
and the eye be exclusively or mostly
used for regarding distant objects. low
grades of myopia may improve, OF
even entirely disappear. These eases
however, are rare. 1t is therefore ol
the utmost Importance to remove OF
avoid the conditions favorable to near.
sightedness, and thus prevent its APP.
pearance.
Some of the means of prevention are
the following:
L. Strengthen the general SYSTEM,
thereby increasing the power of reSist-
ance and lessening the liability to dis.
ease or debility of any kind.
9. Teach right positions and pro-
vide right surroundings for children
when engaged in study.
5. DO not send children to school toe
yoasng.
4. Do not allow young children
to study out of school or by artificial
light.
5. Study should be mingled with
recreation. so as to avoid fatiguing the
eyes.
s. Not before the sixteenth year. on
the average, should pupils be allowed
to exercise their eyes on near objects
without great care and constant over
sight.
z. AU school rooms and other study
rooms should be property lighted. This
includes the following points: ca
There should be plenty of light, with
out dazzling the eyes. (b) The sun
should not shine directly upon the
book or desk in front of the pupil.
(c) The light should not come from in
front, and it is best when it comes over
the left shoulder.
8. Colored glasses may be needed
when the eyes are exposed to Il daz-
cling light, and convex ones when
near-sightedness has been developed; !;
but these should never be worn except
under competent medical advice.-J
H. French, NJ d., IN journal Of Edu-
cation.